Back to school, and this time, I'm jumping right in.

Well, I'm a second-semester freshman now. I had my first day of classes (and it was a full day) today, so the semester's already off to a rolling start. In 26 hours back, I've already

• Watched football with some great friends.
• Eaten three cafeteria meals.
• Reconnected with many, many people.
• Unpacked, completely.
• Made a CD exchange.
• Participated in a Rave.
• Lent a book.
• Attended three classes.
• Consumed copious amounts of caffeinated beverages.
• Requested three transcripts
• Purchased two books
• Prioritized.

I'm really excited about that last one. I've got a list going of things I need to do today (Should be headed to dinner in about ten minutes, so I've gotta hurry up writing this blog entry), and a list of "To Do" things in my free time. I'm hoping I can keep this up past day one, but a start is better than I've done in past semesters, both of college and high school (Middle and elementary schools too, for that matter).

Today started with a 7:50-ish wake up call. After showering, I found myself eating breakfast in the caf for the first time since September, and made it with ample time to spare to my CA class. I think I'm going to find it much less challenging than my last attempt at CA 102. My teacher is one of those that will sap up every last second of class time, though. Being a 9:15er, that will be a little tough for me. But I'll deal with it. After about a 75-minute break, I found myself right back in the same classroom for CP. It'll take another class to get a good feel for the class, but I like the literature we're going to be reading. After lunch, I got a really great price on one of my CP books, and comparison shopped for several others. Then for the 3:00 class. Ugh. But it's JMC, and it's my best bet for something so late. I shudder to think about CA at 3. Or CA at anytime for that matter, but I digress.

Anyway, the primary reason I'm writing this blog this afternoon is that one of my primary assignments in my JMC class is: writing a blog! Right up my alley, right? Chances are it won't be located here, but I might just use this one as much or more frequently from now on. I'll keep all six of you that might ever read this (if you are one of the lucky few, do leave a comment and let me know what's up with you! Or, have an idea of what I should blog about? Tell me!) posted as to where you might find this new, professional-like blog once it is created.

Of course, I would be remiss not to mention the big sports news of the day (Other than Jay "Ouch, that really hurt" Cutler), and that is Carson Palmer wanting out of Cincinnati. Hey, the Titans are looking for a new QB. One stipulation, Carson, you gotta switch your number back to the 3 you wore at USC (Incidentally, that's where Coach Fisher played his college ball, if you'll remember). Ain't nobody gonna take Air McNair's number. That's sacred. Well, football sacred at least.

Lastly, on the terrorist attacks in Moscow today, be in prayer for the family of those affected, and the Russian government as they try to deal with an unspeakable tragedy.

Well, that's it. I'll keep you posted on the new blog, and, in case you were the wondering, I'm pulling for the Packers to win the Super Bowl, although I have a feeling I'll be disappointed. Sorely disappointed.

-c

I feel like I should blog again some more.

I think I need to catch you up on my life, and all its many twists and turns.

Number one: College. Many of my younger viewers may ask, "Why, Clayton, how's college?" Of course, now I think about it, many of my older viewers and viewers within my peer group may be wondering the same thing. And my answer to you is: College is great! Here's a flash of my typical Samford week:

Sunday: Wake up, 8:30ish. Why I am up this early after likely staying up until one or two reading Harry Potter or watching college football highlights is beyond me. There is a knock on the door and there is a friend who I arranged to take me to church. The church in question is massive, as are many of the Baptist churches around Birmingham. The service was nothing remarkable, and then was Sunday School. I have not attended a Sunday School session outside of HFUMC since, oh I don't know, eight or ten years ago, probably. It was a very enjoyable experience, I think I might go back just for the Sunday School hour sometime. Arrive back on campus around 12:30, grab some lunch in the caf, then back to the room for an afternoon of NFL football. That's basically what Sunday consists of every week. Lots of football. Then to sleep for class.

Monday: My first class, JMC 200, begins at 10:30. I wake up at about 9 or 9:15, hop in the shower, head to the food court for a chick-fil-a biscuit breakfast, and head on over to class. Take some notes, fight some sleep, and then to Latin. Much of the same, although instead of the "take some notes" part, it's more "try to figure out what in the heck this thing means". Latin ends at 12:50, and that's class on Monday. After Latin, I hit up the caf for lunch, and head back to the room. Once back in the room, I open facebook (which will remain open long into the night), check emails, and get whatever work I have to get done. Today I'll get all my laundry done. I'm thirsty, so I walk to the mini-fridge and pull out a can of Canada Dry Ginger Ale. On this particular Monday afternoon, I pull up the 104.5 The Zone radio broadcast online, because Randy Moss is holding his first media meeting as a Tennessee Titan. I listen to 3hourlunch until 3, and then turn on the TV to NFLNetwork. I throw on my freshly-laundered band t-shirt, a pair of socks, and some tennis shoes, and head over to the band room. I then catch a ride to the gym because I'm playing for the basketball game. I play some music, shout a lot, and eat some pizza. Four hours later, I go back to the room, where I'll play on the computer, watch TV, and do some reading until I fall asleep at about midnight.

On Tuesday, I have one class. However, I am determined to make Convo this morning, even if I sleep through it. I get a can of lemonade from the room, and a chicken biscuit from the food court (I'm trying hard to cut down on my Bulldog Buck spending, I'm fast running out from my Chick-fil-A consumption), and head over to Reid Chapel for the Convocation. Today's convo speaker was surprisingly interesting, a United Methodist clergywoman and yet another great storyteller. Having not gotten my nap or the last four pages of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in, I go to my Tuesday/Thursday class, CP. I get that essay back that I slaved over on the previous Wednesday night. "This is surprisingly well-written," I find Dr. Putt has written on it. "First semester freshmen usually do not write this well. I even suspected plagiarism at first because it is so clearly written! Excellent work!" This brightens up my day immensely, even more than my first convo credit in two or more weeks did. I take about a page-full of notes about Gothic architecture and culture, and then we get out of class at around noon or 12:15. I head straight to the caf for lunch this day, and then after chilling back in the room for a couple of hours, go to band practice. It's our first Christmas band practice, and as I note to the facebook world, "I am fully aware of the irony of the fact that we're practicing Christmas music, and I'm wearing a tshirt and flip flops." The music is different, and moderately challenging. After dinner, I come back to the room, and Patrick is watching the new 30 for 30 film on ESPN about former superstar running back Marcus Dupree. It's a nice little piece, and I enjoyed it. After that, I make sure everything's ready for my Wednesday classes, read some Harry Potter, and go to sleep.

Wednesday is the day I buy my Harry Potter tickets. There's some finagling with Fandango, but eventually everything works out and I'm ready to go. Both of my Wendesday classes included getting tests back. My JMC grade, though not stellar, is still a solid B, which I will take. In Latin, I was expecting bad things from the test, but I end up earning a similar B. While in Latin, unbeknownst to me, there is a bit of a flash-mob rave dance in the caf in order to advertise tomorrow night's freshman class rave. Sadly, I miss it. After lunch, I head to the library to put in a couple hours of work-study time. In the end, I am not able to continue, and I end up staying for only an hour and a quarter. Dinner is yet another caf affair, and I return to the room with just enough time to watch yesterday's episodes of both Glee and NCIS. After my hour and a half of online TV dosage, I head to my small group meeting. It's a particularly good group meeting for me, and I do a little more reading before I go to sleep.

Thursday is a triumphant morning. For the first time in over a month, I am able to wake up in time to get to the caf for breakfast! I also make it to Convo, which is a very nap-worthy lecture about the church in China. Perhaps it goes too long, for I am still in a lethargic state when CP rolls around. The Renaissance is the topic of this class, and it goes until about 12:10, I think. I go back to the room for a 30-minute power nap (haven't had a good one of those in a while, either...) and then lunch in the caf. An hour and a half after I get done with lunch, and it's band practice time again. I'm not really feeling too well during practice, but I manage, and suffer through a small dinner just to keep my appetite regular. By the time I get ready to go to the aforementioned rave, I'm feeling much better and ready for a fun night of dancing. Well, except for the fact that after about forty-five minutes of constant jumping and moving, etc, I felt like my lungs were about to explode, so I headed back to the dorm for a couple puffs of the asthma inhaler and I was generally back to normal. Great dance, then I feel like staying up even later to get in some Harry Potter reading. I decide that I'm not even going to eat breakfast Friday morning, as I only have one one-hour class that day. I go to sleep, exhausted from an exciting day.

On Friday, I stumble out of bed a little before ten, take a shower, and find my way to my JMC class. It's a nice lesson about cable, I jot down a few key points, and class ends. I head to the caf, and have about an hour-and-a-half long lunch (not so much eating as the social aspect of lunch in the caf). After lunch, I spend a while in the room, before choosing to throw in a little bit of work-study in the library before it closes at 5. After I finish in the library, I run into Corey and Clayton playing frisbee. I play with them for a while, and then we all three head up to the caf for dinner. There we meet the likes of Patrick and Josiah, and after a nice evening meal, we decide to head up to the volleyball game, Senior night, at the gym. We are joined by Jamieson and Red Sea points leader Throck (it's a nickname, his last name's Throckmorton). We watch the volleyball girls fall to Georgia Southern 3 sets to 1, but in a valiant effort nonetheless. Some fingerfoods follow, and then Patrick and I so choose to head back to the room and chill for the rest of the night. I find myself, once again, in the midst of a very good Harry Potter Book (Goblet of Fire, which I've been working on the majority of the week) before going to bed once again.

Saturday gets a late start from me. I wake up shortly before 11, shower, watch some college football, and then head to the caf for brunch. There are some conspiracies regarding a birthday party, and I head back to the room. Corey comes in, I end up taking a run to Taco Bell with him and Zach. After we get back and while we are consuming our Taco Bell, Jamieson enters, detailing us about a certain prank to go down. I spend a large part of my afternoon on that effort after my weekly phone call to the parentals. After dinner, I anxiously await the next step of the prank, but we are foiled by someone close to a victim. I have a nice facebook conversation with this un-named source, and find myself compromised somewhat in the war of pranks that is happening throughout Samford. I suppose it feels a little like when countries entered the World Wars a while after they started. I await my just rewards. Meanwhile, I watch the fourth Harry Potter movie, and end up having to stop after a while, because it is so horrendous. I then watch the South Carolina-Florida and Alabama-Mississippi State games before catching the ridiculously awful ending of the fourth Harry Potter movie. Around this point, Patrick returns from the dorm lobby, and we watch SNL and some football and basketball highlights before he calls it a night and I turn to this, my blog.

Well, that's a sample week. Now that you know that, I'll just go on about some trivial stuff...

1. CUPCAKES. And I'm not talking about that thing that looks like a muffin but is much better. I'm talking about teams, like Louisiana-Monroe, like Georgia State, like the University of freaking Notre Dame, that college football teams play two, three, seven games against each season. Those ones that scream "easy win, let's get in here, play a little ball, throw our bench in, and get the hell out of here" on the schedule. It disgusts me. Every team in the SEC has played at least three, and while I'm a big fan of the SEC, I think they need to play easy-win teams that are a little more competitive by name, like Big Ten and ACC schools. Those of you that have been following all my crazy facebook action know my obsession with cupcakes and their complete lack of benefit.

2. We've got Randy freaking Moss!!!! Thats right, boys and girls, Randy's a Titan. Get excited, it's going to be a great ride in Nashville for the second half of the season, and--dare I say it?--playoffs?!?

3. Oh, I gots me a youtube channel now! You can find me at http://www.youtube.com/user/churdle76. I may or may not eventually be posting videos, but it's really just a thing for me to use for comments or liking videos or stuff like that.

4. And I've also gots me a tweeter!! Although I myself am not a twit, and do not tweet, I felt like I should get a twitty-thing to follow some other twits that like tweeting. So if you want me to add you to my followees, tweet me up @churdle76. If you want to add yourself to my followers (or, as I prefer, twitstalkers), just do whatever you do to follow a twitty type by searching the same tweetie-name.

5. What else, what else? Oh, I'm annoyed by Christmas coming before and above Thanksgiving again, I'm in the middle of a little No-Shave November action, and I get some more money in the bank this week. Also, my midseason NFL Picks are as thus: Titans, Texans, Colts, Jaguars AFC South; Steelers, Ravens, Browns, Bengals AFC North; Chiefs, Chargers, Raiders, Broncos AFC West; Jets, Patriots, Dolphins, Bills AFC East; Falcons, Saints, Bucs, Panthers NFC South; Packers, Vikings, Bears, Lions NFC North; Rams, Seahawks, Cardinals, Niners NFC West; Giants, Eagles, Redskins, Cowboys, NFC East. Playoff seedings will be Jets, Steelers, Titans, Chiefs, Ravens, Texans in the AFC; Giants, Falcons, Packers, Rams, Eagles, Saints in the NFC. Wild Card games: Titans over Texans, Ravens over Chiefs, Packers over Saints, Eagles over Rams. Divisional games: Ravens over Jets, Titans over Steelers, Eagles over Giants, Packers over Falcons. Conference championships: Ravens over Titans (you don't know how much it hurts me to say that), Eagles over Packers. To keep to my original pick of Super Bowl Champion, Ravens over Eagles.

Oh, last but not least, congrats to the San Francisco Giants for bringing home the World Series championship for the first time since your west coast move over fifty years ago.

That's it for now, folks, I'll be back with more action sometime later.

-clayton

NFL PREVIEW 2010!!!!!

It's football time again, which means it's time for me to throw out how I think everyone's going to do this season. You might find a surprise or two, let me know what you think's gonna happen!

We'll start off with divisional records and standings.

AFC East

Jets- 12-4

Patriots (WC)- 11-5

Dolphins- 10-6

Bills 5-11

The Revis Holdout ended last night, so the J-E-T-S-JETS-JETS-JETS are going to be your favorites in the division. Watch out for the Pats though, they've still got it. Miami and their Wildcat offense will contend as well. The Bills have a rough rebuilding year ahead of them.

AFC North

Ravens- 12-4

Bengals- 10-6

Steelers- 10-6

Browns- 4-12

The Ochocinco-T.O. marriage works well in Cincy, but not well enough. They miss the playoffs by a tiebreaker, and the Ravens win the division easily. The Steelers struggle early without Roethlisberger, but will make a push as the season progresses. Cleveland has a very tough schedule; they'll play competitively, but will fall short often. I say they're among the best sub-.500 teams in the NFL.

AFC South

Colts- 12-4

Texans (WC)- 10-6

Titans- 10-6

Jaguars- 6-10

The Colts continue dominating this division, as Houston makes its first ever playoff berth. The Titans play well, but fall short against Jacksonville, giving the Texans the tiebreaker they need to claim second in the division. The Jaguars, after another disappointing season, fire Coach Del Rio and begin to think more seriously about relocating.

AFC West

Chargers- 10-6

Broncos- 7-9

Chiefs- 4-12

Raiders- 4-12

There have been some great Chargers, Broncos, and Raiders teams to come out of this division, but as of late, it's been one of the worst divisions in pro football. San Diego gets the top spot in the West, and Denver continues to rebuild (Don't worry, Broncos fans, they'll be back within the next couple of seasons). The Chiefs have another bad year, and the Raiders, trying to regain some dignity, falter in a big way. Cable gets fired, and Al Davis will decide to go back into coaching. Not a good move.

In the AFC playoffs, the standings will look as such.

Colts

Jets

Ravens

Chargers

Patriots

Texans

In the wild card round, Houston will show how inexperienced they are in the postseason as they get clobbered by a very good Ravens team in Baltimore. The Patriots will be just too much for the Chargers, and they come out of SD with another big W.

In the divisional playoffs, the Ravens will take on the Jets in a defensive showdown. Ed Reed will provide scoring for Baltimore as they pull off a 7-6 victory in New York. In what could be the final chapter of a storied rivalry from over the past decade, Peyton Manning will find enough to get past the Pats once more.

The conference championship will feature Baltimore, who lost the game in the 2008 season, and Indianapolis, who made it to the Super Bowl last year. Of course, any time Baltimore faces the Colts, it's the entire city that opposes Indy. Peyton will be retiring within the next five years, and he'll want as many rings to his name as he possibly can. Ray Lewis will most likely call it quits at the end of this season, and he wants to go out on top. What fun those two will be, reliving old memories and making a couple new ones as they try to make it to the biggest stage in sports. The Ravens will prevail and be crowned AFC champions.

Now, to the NFC.

NFC East

Cowboys- 12-4

Redskins (WC)- 11-5

Eagles- 10-6

Giants- 8-8

The NFC East is not just the toughest division in the NFL, it is arguably the best in all of pro sports. Dallas is gearing up for a Super Bowl in its home stadium, while Donovan McNabb, Mike Shanahan, and the Redskins all make a resurgence. The Eagles have a good season, and the Giants struggle, but still do better than many second- and third-place teams in other divisions.

NFC North

Packers- 11-5

Vikings- 10-6

Lions- 4-12

Bears- 2-14

Brett Favre will come back should there be football in 2011. Because he won't even make it to the playoffs. The Pack will get this division, and Aaron Rodgers will win MVP honors. Meanwhile, the Lions will continue their rebuilding, and the Bears will have the most atrocious season in the NFL this year.

NFC South

New Orleans 12-4

Atlanta 12-4

Tampa 5-11

Carolina 3-13

Bye-bye, John Fox! Panthers will have a tough year, but they'll play well through it. Just not well enough to matter. Tampa continues to rebuild, and there's a battle for the top. New Orleans will repeat as division champs.

NFC West

San Francisco- 11-5

Arizona- 8-8

Seattle- 6-10

St. Louis- 3-13

A new group of a familiar team will get to the top of the West for the first time since 2002. The Cardinals will have struggles with a new QB, Seattle will be on the rise, but won't keep Hasselbeck when he becomes a free agent at the end of the season (Look for Mike Holmgren and Cleveland to pick him up). The Rams will struggle, but will do a little better than last year.

And now, my NFC playoff picks.

Homefield throughout, including potentially the Super Bowl, Dallas- 12-4

New Orleans- 12-4

Green Bay- 11-5

San Francisco- 11-5

Atlanta- 12-4

Washington- 11-5

In the wild card round, we see Mike Shanahan and Donovan McNabb traveling to a possibly snowy Lambeau Field to take on NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. I think the Packers will pull out of this one with the insanely close W. It'll be a incredibly fun game to watch.

Atlanta and San Francisco- I am a HUGE Mike Singletary fan, but Matt Ryan and the Falcons have been through the playoff ringer before, and most of Singletary's players have not. So I'm giving the edge to Atlanta on the road in this one.

Divisional round: Green Bay will visit New Orleans, and this year's NFL MVP will face the reigning Super Bowl MVP. This game will also be entertaining. The All-Pro foot of Mason Crosby will send the Packers into the NFC title game.

In Dallas, the top-seeded 'Boys will be put to the test by the 2010 version of the Dirty Birds. Just thinking about this matchup has one remembering (as well as one can remember not actually remembering for him or herself, being quite young at the time) the early 90s when these teams were both in NFC prominence. It'll be fun, but Dallas will advance with not much problem.

The NFC Chamionship game will be magnificent football. I don't think I've been more excited about the NFC ever. I can't even begin to analyze this one, or it'll take me forever to come to a conclusion. So I'll just say Dallas. Get it over with. They'll play the first legitimate home Super Bowl game.

In Super Bowl XLV, the Baltimore Ravens will travel to Dallas to face a blue-and-white washout crowd of 100,000 or more. Oh yeah, and the Cowboys. It will be the most one-sided NFL Championship, spectator-wise, in the history of the Super Bowl. But are you ready for this? The 2010 World Champions will be the Baltimore Ravens who will win by a score of 24-16. Ed Reed will intercept two passes, returning one for a touchdown, and be named the Most Valuable Player of the game. Ray Lewis will retire on top, much like Jerome Bettis five years ago.

This being said, prepare for me to be a HUGE Aaron Rodgers, Packers, Texans, Ravens, and Cowboys fan this year (Although, naturally, not quite as much as I like the Titans)

Comments? Fears, doubts, concerns? Got your own bold predictions? Or maybe you want to join my prognostication mailing list. If any of the aforementioned apply to you, leave me a comment, right down there vvvvv

-c

PLAYOFF TIME!

Before I get started with the playoffs, I need to point out a few things.













Here's the story of a man named Cam Cameron. You may remember Coach Cameron when he was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2007. Well, the Dolphins went 1-15, hired Bill Parcells as their president, and fired Cam Cameron. The one team that lost to Miami, the Baltimore Ravens, hired Mr. Cameron as their offensive coordinator. Since then, the Ravens and Cameron are 22-13, including an appearance in the AFC Championship last year, and headed to the playoffs again. The Dolphins, meanwhile, are sitting at home this offseason with an 18-15 record in two years, and a one-and-done playoff run last year. At this point, it appears that Cam Cameron got the better end of getting fired.

While I'm on the topic of the Fishes, it makes me feel better that rookie QB Pat White will not sustain any permanent damage after a head-to-head collision left him motionless on Sunday. He was down forever, and it really worried me.

Jim Zorn's been out since October, so it didn't surprise me at all when I saw he was fired. Next came the entire coaching staff of the Buffalo Bills, which came as a very small shock. Tom Cable will be next according to speculations, which I didn't think wouldn't happen. Next to go will be Jack Del Rio with the Jags. I haven't heard much about him yet, but after two playoff berths, the Swamp Cats have gone 5-11 and 7-9 consecutively, including dropping their last four. They're blacking out all of their games, so something needs to change. First to go is Del Rio, and they'll be the first team to draft a QB this year. I think Lovie Smith is safe in Chicago right now, but if they don't get to the postseason next year, there will be a change in the Winds. Lastly, Eric Mangini will stay at Cleveland. With a 4-0 finish, including wins over Pittsburgh and Jacksonville, and Mike Holmgren, one of the more respectable men in football, as their President, the Browns will keep the former Patriot DC for the time being.

Alright, off of the coaching carousel and on to a more important subject....THE PLAYOFFS!!!!!

Here are the seedings:

AFC
1. Indy 14-2
2. San Diego 13-3
3. New England 10-6
4. Cincy 10-6
5. J-E-T-S-JETS-JETS-JETS 9-7
6. Baltimore 9-7

NFC
1. New Orleans is 13-3 after dropping 3 straight
2. Minnesota rebounded big against the Giants, they are now 12-4
3. Dallas crushed Philly and is 11-5
4. Arizona 10-6
5. Green Bay 11-5
6. Philly 11-5

So, here's the situation. Wild Card weekend. Four games will be played on the 9th and 10th, all of them rematches of the regular season. 3 of those four were played just last week. 2 of those 3 were meaningless for at least one team, and 1 was not meaningful for either team. That being said, it appears that New England, the J-E-T-S-JETS-JETS-JETS, Green Bay and Dallas will advance if each game turns out how it did in the regular season. I've got different ideas, though.

J-E-T-S-JETS-JETS-JETS AT CINCINNATI (Saturday 1/9, 4:30 ET)
I've become a bandwagon Bengals fan this season, so the fact that they were shut out against the J-E-T-S-JETS-JETS-JETS surprises me. The Bengals are my emotional favorite to win it all, having to deal with the deaths of Mike Zimmer's wife and Chris Henry. They have a test against a J-E-T-S-JETS-JETS-JETS team that has won five of its last six, including the last two against playoff teams (granted, the Colts would've won had they not rested their starters), under Rex Ryan, of whom I am also a big fan. To Cincy's advantage, they will have a home game this time, and they know what to expect of the J-E-T-S-JETS-JETS-JETS coming into this week. To their disadvantage, Chad Ochocinco might not play due to a knee injury he sustained in pregame warmups Sunday night. He's a big leader of the team, and his abscence may cause for another devastating Bengals loss. Cincinnati's last playoff win came in 1991, two decades ago. The J-E-T-S-JETS-JETS-JETS won the only postseason matchup of the two teams. Putting together all of that, plus much more, I've decided on a score: J-E-T-S-JETS-JETS-JETS 28-16.

PHILADELPHIA AT DALLAS (Saturday 1/9, 8 ET)
Well, Dallas absolutely crash landed the Eagles' hope for a first-round bye and a home game in the playoffs with a 24-0 victory. I have no reason to suspect that this result will be repeated. Firstly, Andy Reid is an absolute wizard of a coach. You don't have a career record above .600 after 11 years for nothing. He is also very experienced in the playoffs, with a 10-7 record entering his 18th postseason game. On the other sideline, Wade Phillips is also a good coach. However, in four tries, he has come up 0-fer in the playoffs. The Eagles are a traditionally good playoff team, making it to 5 NFC Championships and 1 Super Bowl in the past decade. They made a sixth-seed run to the Championship last year, and they're right back where they were to begin last postseason. I can't pick against the Eagles in the first round, nor can I pick for the Cowboys in the postseason. Therefore, my prediction is: Eagles, 34-17.

BALTIMORE AT NEW ENGLAND (Sunday 1/10, 1 ET)
This one will be fun. The regular-season edition of this game happened all the way back in Week 4, with the Patriots coming out on top, defeating the previously undefeated Ravens 27-21. Bill Belichick (15-4 in 14 seasons) and John Harbaugh (2-1 in 1) are two good playoff coaches. Bill is 3-1 in the Super Bowl, and John made it to the AFC Championship as a sixth seed last year. This will be the first postseason matchup between the winningest active NFL coach (not counting Bill Cowher or Mike Shanahan, who might each come out of retirement next season) and one of the game's newer greats. The Patriots have never lost their first playoff game since Coach Belichick and Tom Brady took over, but they will be missing their #1 receiver in Wes Welker. Baltimore won a convincing game against then 6-0 Denver in Week 8 and blew out the Lions 48-3 in Week 14, but lost a possible Super Bowl preview against Green Bay by double digits in Week 13, and only beat Oakland by 8 last week. Ray Lewis is getting ever closer to retirement, and would love to go out on top, so he'll have a monster game. And probably talk a little trash during the week. I really think the Ravens have more to play for here than the Patriots, so I really am leaning their way. But it will be close. Here's what I think: Ravens, 16-13

GREEN BAY AT ARIZONA (4:40 ET Sunday 1/10)
Ken Wisenhunt led the Cards to the Super Bowl last year, but Green Bay is rolling. They were 7-1 in the last half of the season, their only loss being that shootout against Pittsburgh. In the entire season, the Pack only scored less than 20 points once, against the eventual NFC East champs. They beat Dallas 17-7 in Week 10, which turned around their season. In their seven second-half wins, they won 5 by 10 or more. Arizona will play closer than they did on Sunday, but they'll still get blown away. We'll say: Packers, 27-14.

Now that the Wild Card has been decided, here's our playoff picture.

AFC
1. Indy 14-2
2. San Diego 13-3
X3. New England 10-7X
X4. Cincinnati 10-7X
5. J-E-T-S-JETS-JETS-JETS 10-7
6. Baltimore 10-7

NFC
1. New Orleans 13-3
2. Minnesota 12-4
X3. Dallas loses 5 straight playoff games, 11-6X
X4. Arizona 10-7X
5. Green Bay 12-5
6. Philadelphia 12-5

In the divisional round, resilient Baltimore travels to Indianapolis to face the battered Colts, who are much thankful for a home game. The J-E-T-S-JETS-JETS-JETS travel to sunny San Diego for a showdown with the hottest team in the NFL. The hottest team in the NFC, Green Bay, takes a trip to the Vikings, who closed out the regular season with a convincing spanking of the NY Giants. Philadelphia travels to the Superdome to confront a Saints team which hasn't won in over a month. The winners of these games are guaranteed picks 29-32 in the first round of this April's draft, and advance to the conference championships. Let's continue with the matchups at hand here.

PHILADELPHIA AT NEW ORLEANS (4:30 ET Saturday 1/16)
After dominating Dallas, the Eagles face a tough task in Drew Brees and the Saints. New Orleans started the season 13-0. Only problem is, they've lost 3 straight. That does a number to momentum headed into the playoffs. On top of that, they've had a first-round bye to extend the length of time since their last win, December 13 at Atlanta (Not to mention that game was 26-23. It took them overtime the week before to defeat a Washington team that finished 4-12. So really, the last time the Saints really looked like the Saints was that 38-17 win over the Patriots in November). They have some very important questions to answer in this game, and if they pull off a victory, especially by more than a touchdown, they'll be my favorite to win it all. But this is a very good Eagles team which is underestimated year after year. I have a hard time picking against them before the NFC Championship. As the Saints are really unproven in the playoffs (1-1 when they made it in 2006, losing to Chicago in the NFC Championship), and certainly not in the position they are in now, I'm not sure what to say. Ironically, their first game was a divisional matchup against the Eagles. Not much has changed with the two teams, except for some more explosiveness from both teams. The 2007 playoff game was a 27-24 Saints win. I can't see this matchup ending the same way it did last time, though. Not having a convincing win in a month and a half does something to the persona of a team. Therefore, I say: Eagles, 37-28.









BALTIMORE AT INDIANAPOLIS (8:15 ET Saturday 1/16)


This will be another good matchup of two really good teams. The Ravens will be working on getting to their second straight AFC Championship, and the Colts are out to prove that 14-0 wasn't a fluke. The Colts will be more than glad to be playing at the RCA...excuse me, at Lucas Oil Stadium after that horrendous snow game in Buffalo. The Ravens have momentum after shocking the world and the New England Patriots on the road in what might easily be another snow game. I have yet to know how Jim Caldwell will do in the postseason, but Peyton Manning is a game-changer. If Ray Lewis keeps him in check, the Ravens will have a chance. Nevertheless, I think Indianapolis will come away with the win in front of the home crowd, indoors, with no snow: Colts, 26-17.







GREEN BAY AT MINNESOTA (1 ET Sunday 1/17)



The Favre Purple Show swept the regular season series between the two teams, but Green Bay is, as I mentioned earlier, the hottest team in the Conference. I think Brett might be thrown a little that he's playing playoff football in a dome against the Pack, but after his first interception he'll be brought back to reality. Aaron Rodgers is becoming if not an elite quarterback, a pretty good one and will keep the Green Bay offense competing. Adrian Peterson definitely has the edge over Ryan Grant, although both are good running backs. With Rookie of the Year Percy Harvin, Sidney Rice, and Bernard Berrian, the Vikes have a solid receiving corps, and Jordy Nelson, Donald Driver, and Greg Jennings form another solid corps for the Pack. At tight end, Donald Lee and Visanthe Shiancoe are both forces to be reckoned with, and Mason Crosby and Ryan Longwell are two of the top kickers in the leauge. I'll give Green Bay the slight edge on defense, and Minnesota the homefield advantage (duh). Basically, coaching is the only thing in question. Mike McCarthy is slightly better than Brad Childress (39-27 vs. 36-29), and is 1-1 in the playoffs (2-1 with the win over Arizona) while Childress is 0-1. We'll have an offensive showdown here, with the win coming in the final seconds. After expert advice gives me the edge on kicker, I'll have to say: Packers, 37-34.







J-E-T-S-JETS-JETS-JETS AT SAN DIEGO (4:40 ET Sunday 1/17)



This would've been a big game if Cincy had beaten the J-E-T-S-JETS-JETS-JETS. Now, though, it'll be a crushing defeat by San Diego. This team scared me when it came to Nashville on Christmas night. It'll scare plenty more before it's done. The J-E-T-S-JETS-JETS-JETS have no match for the modern generation of Air Coryell, and Rivers and the dominant offense of San Diego will prevail over a young team from New York. Final Score: Chargers, 34-13.

As we move on to the championship round, here's what's left.

AFC
Indy rebounds and is 15-2
San Diego dominates, 14-3
XXNew England 10-7XX
XXCincy 10-7XX
XJ-E-T-S-JETS-JETS-JETS 10-8X
XBaltimore 10-8X

NFC
XNew Orleans blows another one, 13-4X
XMinnesota can't hold on, 12-5X
XXDallas 11-6XX
XXArizona 10-7XX
Green Bay has the golden toe, 13-5
Philly keeps going, 13-5

So, we approach a 1-2 finale in the AFC, and a 5-6 battle of the wild in the NFC. All attention is focused in the Midwest for these two games. Let's go.

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP: SAN DIEGO AT INDIANAPOLIS (3 ET Sunday 1/24)
This one's a showdown the media's been wanting since early November. Is San Diego really the best team in the AFC? I didn't believe it until the Titans game. The Chargers will be riding a 12-game win streak into this game, and the young secondary of the Colts will have a hard time matching up with Vincent Jackson, Antonio Gates, and the entire receiving squad of the San Diego Chargers. Norv Turner's been coaching this game much longer than rookie Jim Caldwell of the Colts. For all these reasons and more, my pick is: Chargers, 27-23.





NFC CHAMPIONSHIP: PHILADELPHIA AT GREEN BAY (6:40 ET Sunday 1/24)

The battle of two teams a game away from winning their respective divisions commences Sunday evening at Lambeau field. The Eagles and Packers are two very good clubs, and this game will be fun. The Eagles are looking for their second Super Bowl appearance ever, and under Reid and Donovan McNabb. The Pack, meanwhile, are looking to be one of nine teams to appear in five or more Super Bowls. The first team you think of when the words "Super Bowl" come to mind hosts a consistent contender for the past decade. The explosive offense of McNabb, DESEAN JACKSON, and the Eagles will go up against the fundamental game played by Rodgers, Grant, Clay Matthews, and the Packers. The Pack will play a tough, physical game, and Philly will stay plenty competitive. In the end, DeSean will lift the Eagles to heights only attained once before. It'll be a nail-biter, but the team that will come on top is: Eagles, 42-35.

Before Super Bowl XLIV (It is XLIV, not 44. stupid arabians and their simplified numerals.) an incredibly important (or rather ignorable idiotc) event has to occur pitting the statistical leaders of the NFL against each other. This is so much better the week after the Super Bowl. For instance, DeSean won't be playing so he doesn't have to risk injury before the Big Game. I was looking forward to seeing him playing around and killing some coverages in the meaningless allstar game, but since he has to play in the biggest game of his career the next week, he won't be there. CJ gets 60-80 yards on 8-12 carries, and the AFC wins over the NFC Vikings, 34-28.

Now, to recap:

AFC

Indy: 15-3 after beating Baltimore and losing to San Diego

San Diego: Represents the AFC in the Super Bowl with a 15-3 record. Wins over J-E-T-S-JETS-JETS-JETS and at Indy.

New England: 10-7. One-and-done with loss against Ravens.

Cincy: 10-7. Can't rebound against J-E-T-S-JETS-JETS-JETS in wild card round.

J-E-T-S-JETS-JETS-JETS: 10-8. Rex Ryan's first playoff success in Cincy turns sour when they lose in San Diego.

Baltimore: 10-8 after upsetting Brady and the Pats, and falling hard in Indy.

NFC

New Orleans: At 13-4, the Ain'ts return in a four game slide. They lose to Philly in the Superdome.

Minnesota: The right foot of Mason Crosby sends the Vikes spiraling, they finish 12-5.

Dallas: The Boys get embarrassed the week after embarrassing the team that embarrased them in an embarrassing loss, so they finish 11-6.

Arizona: The Cards stood no chance against the Packers, a 10-7 record ends Kurt Warner's career.

Green Bay: A strong fight is not strong enough. They destroy Arizona, use the heroics of Mason Crosby to win in the Metrodome, but as soon as they come home, are out-flown by the Philadelphia Eagles. 13-6.

Philadelphia: Another 6-seed run ends in ecstasy, as the Eagles turn the tables in Dallas, New Orleans and Green Bay to reach their second Super Bowl. 14-5.

The Super Blog will come nearer that time, so stay interested, my friends.